Because Ideas Matter...
The faculty and staff of Butler University's College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences presents
Recommended Readings
Something Missing: A
Novel
by Matthew Dicks, Broadway, 2009
Reviewed by LuAnne McNulty
Maybe I read too many books of the same
genre, but when I read the book Something Missing: A
Novel, I was truly impressed by the story. Martin is in
his early 30s. He has somewhat of an alternative
career/lifestyle. He robs people for a living. But, he
steals what he only perceives to be of no or little value to his
victims. For example, have you ever been "convinced"
that you had a few more rolls of toilet paper? Or, are you a
person who has so much toilet paper in your house that you would
never notice if a few rolls went missing? Martin's clients,
as he refers to them, don't miss what he takes. He chooses
clients who have no kids, no pets, and jobs that require more than
the average amount of time. His clients have been part of his
life for years. He knows their habits. As to be
expected, they know nothing of him. Martin breaks pattern one
day and does something nice for a client. Before he realizes
it, he begins helping his other clients, becoming somewhat of a
secret savior. The story of Martin's evolution from a man
operating on the fringe of life to someone who is connected to the
world around him is entertaining and funny. I enjoyed his
journey enough to wish I knew what happened next.
- LuAnne McNulty is an associate professor of chemistry at
Butler University.